It was an evening of passion, humility and long-lost hairlines.
The Alumni Association held its annual achievement awards on March
28, honoring 13 highly successful doers, thinkers, philanthropists
and mavericks from around the world at a ceremony and reception at
the Center for the Arts.

“In my field, we are very gung-ho. We all
knew—from the moment we took our first plane ride or saw our
first shuttle launch—that we wanted to be either astronauts
or pilots, or that we were going to build the rockets or
planes.”

John Crassidis, on what drives aerospace engineers

Donna Fernandes, president and CEO of the Buffalo Zoo
(Community Leadership Award)

Mark Hamister, chairman and CEO of The Hamister Group, a
health care and hotel management company (Cooke Award)

Janet Litster Rideout (PhD ’68), one of five
scientists who share the patent for the AIDS drug azidothymidine,
or AZT (Distinguished Alumni Award)

Steven Shepsman (BS ’75), executive managing
director of New World Realty and a top volunteer on several UB
academic and philanthropic campaigns (Wels Award)

“It’s an affordable, incredible research
institution. ... Allowing everybody an opportunity to partake in
this incredible environment is what this university is about.
I’m so proud to be associated with this
school.”

Jeffrey Wigand (PhD ’73, MA ’72 and BA
’69), former executive for Brown & Williamson Tobacco
Corporation who became a whistleblower in the industry and was
featured in the 1999 film “The Insider” (Distinguished
Alumni Award)